Silence
by yellowsubmarine97
Summary: Dan, starting a new school with the intention of a fresh start, meets Phil - a friendly new face with bright blue eyes and a hearing impairment. As a strong relationship develops between them, Dan can't help but feel an attachment to the boy who teaches him that its okay to live life on his own terms. Phan - High School AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Silence - Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dan, Phil or anyone you recognise...nor am I claiming them to be in a real life relationship.**

**A/n: My first phanfiction, so I'm quite nervous about this. There's definitely more, so if this gets positive feedback i'll post the other chapters. Please review, follow, favorite and all that fun stuff. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy :3 **

I remember standing before the building in awe as I felt the Monday morning sun beat down on me. It looked nothing like my old school, which carried the appearance of a prison. This place was the opposite – it was welcoming, almost. I was surrounded by recently mowed grass and picnic tables, and the building itself was modern, having been rebuilt only a few years before. The letters spelling out the name of the school were shiny and polished –_Lakewell High School. _

I had transferred from a school on the other side of Manchester. Things had become…difficult, and my mother decided I needed a new start. I'm aware that first days are terrifying for everyone, but being a socially awkward adolescent with confidence issues, I wasn't feeling very positive.

Noticing the other students making their way towards the entrance, I felt my chest tighten under my school shirt and nerves settle in my stomach. Fortunately, the school uniform prevented me from drawing attention to myself, as I appeared the same as everyone else. I made my way inside the building, disappointed to leave the sunshine behind.

To my surprise, the inside of the building was just as bright as the outside. I stepped into a large atrium. The walls were yellow and decorated with student's artwork. Glancing down the corridor, I saw lockers personalised to the people who owned them. A reception desk stood at one side, giving me an inclination of where to go. Making my way over, I smiled at the middle-aged woman who sat surrounded by paperwork and sweet wrappers.

"Hello, sweetheart. You must be Daniel Howell," She greeted me in a high pitched voice.

I nodded and she pulled a folder out of an immense stack of paperwork. Somehow she knew where everything was in the mess she had made. Pushing her rimless glasses up her nose, she handed me the folder and pointed to a door behind her.

"Take this and knock on the door. Mr Harris, the deputy-headteacher, will ensure you're settled. Enjoy your first day!"

I thanked her and followed the instructions. A thick, Irish accent welcomed me into the room as I knocked, and I opened the door to find myself in a large office. I realised the source of the accent when a suit-clad man at the desk began to speak to me.

"Come and sit, Mr Howell. I don't bite," He joked.

Mr Harris was a tall man. His ginger hair was thinning upon his head, and his suit showed to be slightly too tight on his podgy frame. A mustard stain was obvious on his orange tie. He appeared to be friendly, shaking my hand before I sat and flashing a toothy grin at me as I fidgeted in the leather seat.

"Now, I just wanted to ask a few questions before you're off to find your form room," He stated, reading the file I had gave him, "It says here that the last school you attended was 'Thrumhall High School'. Was there any particular reason for the transfer?"

I swallowed before answering.

"We recently moved house," It wasn't exactly a lie; we _had _moved. However, I couldn't tell him the whole reason. This was supposed to be my new start; I intended to tell no one.

Nodding, he continued.

"And you have picked Geography, Drama, Media and Law for your options?"

"Yeah."

"Since you're in year eleven, you have a lot to catch up on, as preparations for your end-of-year GCSEs began in September. I'm sure your teachers and peers will assist you. Here is your timetable. As you exit the office, go down the corridor to your right. Your form room - B6 - is at the very end."

"Thank you, sir," I said, and left.

The bell had gone while I was speaking with the deputy-head, but it didn't take long the find the room. I hesitated before opening the door, preparing myself for my new start. My hopes weren't high – every school is the same. I took the chance and knocked before entering.

The roar of chatter filled my ears as I stepped inside. The classroom was occupied by teenagers of my age who neglected to notice my presence. However, a young, blonde teacher sat at her desk saw me, and beckoned me over.

"Daniel Howell?" I nodded, "Welcome to Lakewell! I'm Miss Waters."

She turned towards the class and called for their attention.

"This is Daniel Howell. It's his first day and I want you all to welcome him warmly to our school…" As she spoke, I glanced around. Nobody looked particularly interested, but I didn't really mind. However, a boy sat by the window caught my eye. He was completely absorbed in the thick paperback copy of 'Game of thrones' that he held in his hands, and so he didn't notice my staring.

He was pale – very much so. It contrasted with his jet black hair that swept across his forward, similar to my own. What caught my eye, however, was the colour of his eyes. The electric blue was bright enough to see from across the room, and I couldn't help but think that this boy was beautiful. He didn't acknowledge my presence, despite the fact that I had the attention of the rest of the class. He seemed oblivious to everything going on around him.

"Have you been given your timetable already?" Miss Waters asked, snapping me out of my admiring. I nodded, "Good, okay, sit where there's an empty seat. They usually just chat during form time."

My eyes scanned the room, and once again I found myself being drawn to the boy by the window, and this time – the empty seat beside him. Shrugging away my fears, I advanced towards him and gingerly sat in the chair. He didn't show any signs of noticing my presence, instead keeping his eyes focused on his book.

"H-hello," I mumbled, which was met with silence.

I began to become irritated with his ignorance, and so I waved a hand in front of his face, causing him to jump half a mile in his seat with wide eyes. After a second, he began to laugh, holding a hand on his heart. I couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Hello," I tried again.

Instead of replying, his hand grabbed the whiteboard before him (that I hadn't noticed) and scribbled on it with a marker pen. He turned it around so I could read it.

'Hey, I'm Phil' It said.

He put the pen to the board and added 'I'm deaf mute' underneath it.

_Oh. _I felt awful for my earlier irritation. I held out my hand, silently asking for the board, and he gave it willingly. I scribbled the words 'Hi, I'm Dan' onto it and gave it back.

"I'm guessing you're new?" He wrote, and the board began to pass between us.

"Yeah, the teacher told me to sit anywhere and you looked friendly. Hope you don't mind."

He shook his head at me, grinning. His tongue poked out between his teeth and I found it adorable.

"Can I see your timetable?" He asked.

I complied and he looked through it, smiling as he passed it back to me.

"The majority of your classes are with me. We've got English first, so I can show you the way"

"Thanks. So, Game of Thrones?" I enquired.

"Yup, it's my favourite book of the series. You read it?"

I nodded, and we spent the rest of form time discussing our favourite books, TV shows and films. I found that I had a lot in common with Phil, and though the concept of conversation was slower, words came easily to me, and for the first time in my life, I felt I could just be_ Dan_ around someone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Silence - Chapter 2 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognise...nor am I claiming that Dan and Phil are in a real relationship.**

**A/N: Thank you for everyone who read/followed/favourited the last chapter. Here's the second...feel free to review - it warms my heart. Enjoy :3 **

When the bell rang, I stood in my seat and Phil followed suit. He led me to our first class, where we were allowed to sit together. I noticed that Phil's limitation in his hearing didn't hinder him in his education; the teacher gave him all the lesson notes at the beginning of the hour and wrote down the key points she was explaining, making it easy for him to keep up. The rest of the morning passed quickly, and I found that I was enjoying myself. The teachers were friendly and the students were polite. Plus, having Phil beside me in all my classes made it all the more pleasant.

Soon, it was lunch time, and I followed Phil to the canteen. He didn't seem to take notice of anyone else, which intrigued me. Didn't Phil have any friends? I considered asking him, but decided against it. It was only when we sat down in the corner by ourselves that I gave into my curiosity. Picking up the whiteboard, I scribbled down the question as politely as I could.

'Aren't I keeping you away from your friends?'

Shaking his head, Phil took the board and wrote 'Nah, I'm not exactly close with anyone here'

I tilted my head in a silent question, and so he continued.

'It's quite awkward and tedious having to communicate like this all the time. Most people can't be bothered.'

'It's a good thing I'm not most people, then.' I wrote back, causing Phil's tongue to poke out as he grinned.

We ate our lunch in companionable silence before Phil stood and led me out of the building. I followed him past the football pitches and down a narrow pathway, where he crawled through a gap in the hedge. I copied and found myself in a small, but beautiful, garden. It was surrounded by hedges and shaded by a large oak tree. There was no one around, giving the inclination that not many knew of this place. We sat down on the grass, leaning our backs against the tree. Phil got the whiteboard out of his bag.

"Nobody knows about this place, obviously. I've always preferred to be alone, so I spend my lunchtimes here."

Taking the board, I asked 'How do you know when the bell has rung?'

"I set an alarm on my phone to vibrate at the end of lunch."

I nodded and smiled at his clever, alternative ways of daily life. Something he said confused me, however.

"If you prefer to be alone, why have taken _me _here?"

Phil slowly looked up from reading my question and I couldn't stop myself from gazing into those resplendent eyes. They were just so…_blue. _He hesitated before rubbing out the words and simply writing 'Because there's always an exception.'

We stared up at the clouds for a long time, relishing the peace. This place was perfect. It wasn't far away from the building, meaning the bell could still be heard (for me, anyway) but still distant enough to make the noise of chatter and football almost inaudible. I let myself drift away in my thoughts, not worrying about my past or my future, just thinking about Phil, and how happy I was in that moment. It wasn't long before something began to weigh down on my mind. I grabbed the board.

"You're telling me that no one has ever made an effort to get close to you, because they found conversation _tedious_?"

Phil sighed.

"It would be so much easier if I could lip read properly. I used to be able to – to an extent – but everyone talked so fast and I just stopped trying. It was easier to cut myself off from the world, not that anyone really cared. Why make an effort with the deaf kid when you can have loads of friends who-"

I grabbed his pale hand to stop him writing and took the board.

"People are idiots. Complete twats. You're honestly the nicest person I've ever met and I only just met you _today._ I feel sorry for those who are missing out on knowing you for something as insignificant as slower communication."

I looked up at Phil and saw tears brimming in his eyes.

'Sorry', I added, 'I didn't mean to get so deep.'

He chuckled- a beautiful sound from the otherwise silent boy- and I felt butterflies settle in my stomach. At that second, the bell rang and Phil jumped at the vibration in his pocket. We made our way back towards the building and turned towards each other in the atrium. My fourth period lesson was drama– one of the few classes I had without Phil. He scribbled quickly on the board and held it up for me to read.

"Follow the corridor behind you until you come across a set of blue double doors. You'll find your drama class there."

I grinned at him in gratitude and waved goodbye, as he was going in the opposite direction. I followed his instructions and soon found myself entering a huge auditorium. Several students had sat themselves on the seats closest to the stage. I sat near them and waited patiently for the class to start.

"So what's your name?" A voice beside me asked, practically giving me a heart attack.

I turned to find a pair of deep, green eyes staring back at me. They belonged to a girl my age, with long, straight hair the colour of caramel. She was resting her heart-shaped face on her hand, a flirty smile playing around her lips. She could have been described as pretty, or attractive, but ebony hair and electric blue eyes had very recently become my preference.

"What's your name?" She repeated slowly, as if I couldn't understand the question.

"Dan," I replied simply.

"Hello _Dan_, I'm Kelly. They never said anything about a new kid."

I shrugged awkwardly, not really knowing what to say to her.

"You made any new friends yet?" She asked. Continuing before I had a chance to answer, she said, "You can always hang out with me. I definitely wouldn't mind."

Luckily, a tall woman walked onto the stage at that second, saving me from having to reply. She clapped her hands to grab our attention.

"Good afternoon. How was everyone's weekend?" She laughed at the answering mumbles, "Okay, let me do the register, and then we can get started."

She paused after 'Martin Hall' and scanned the class.

"Is Daniel Howell here?"

I raised my hand, and she smiled in my direction.

"Hi! How are you finding Lakewell?"

"It's good," I replied. The teachers at this school were so friendly, and it shocked me slightly that they would speak to me so casually.

She put the class into groups after the register. I didn't know whether to be happy or irritated with the fact that I was grouped with Kelly. On the other hand, I was lucky that the two others in the group – Chris and Louise – were hilarious and easy to befriend. I spent the lesson listening to their funny anecdotes and trying to avoid Kelly's intense gaze.

"So go on, how was the film?" Chris asked Louise as I noted down ideas for our devised play (our lesson objective.)

"It was alright, though Zoe kept on talking through the whole thing."

"Ah, PJ hates it when I do that."

"Oh, here we go. You know you've got a really annoying habit of mentioning your boyfriend every time I talk to you?"

Chris laughed and I looked up sharply.

"You're gay?" I asked without thinking.

He appeared wary as he answered.

"Yeah…why?"

"And you don't get bullied for it?"

"Should I be?"

"No- of course not," I rushed, my brain catching up with me, "It's just…there was…um…this kid at my old school who came out…and people made his life miserable."

The boy smiled at me knowingly, and said "It's not like that here. There are strict rules against any form of bullying."

This small piece of information warmed my heart, and I didn't realise I was grinning until Kelly nudged me and demanded why. I simply shook my head at her.

As I strolled out of the auditorium at the end of the lesson, I was ecstatic to find Phil leant against a wall, waiting for me. Joining him, he waved in greeting and we set off towards our next class together. Experiencing the uncomfortable sense that someone was watching me, I glanced around and noticed Kelly staring at me out of the corner of her eye.


	3. Chapter 3

**Silence - Chapter 3 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters you recognise...nor am I claiming Dan and Phil to be in a real life relationship.**

**A/N: Only a short chapter today- sorry. Thank you to those who read and reviewed the last chapter...people can be so nice :3 Anyway, here's chapter 3 - enjoy. **

For the first time in my life, I was quite disappointed to walk out of the school building at the end of the day. I glanced at Phil as we strolled across the car park and found him looking back at me. Smiling awkwardly, he pulled out his phone and texted a draft before showing me.

"Are you walking home?" He continued when I nodded, "Want me to walk with you?"

I took the phone off him and typed 'You don't have to; it might take you ages to get home.'

"I wouldn't mind staying out in the sunshine while it's still around. The joys of being British," He joked, making me laugh as we began our journey home.

The journey itself was filled with chatter as we continued to type messages to one another. Admittedly, having to type everything I wanted to say _did _become quite tiring, but Phil was definitely worth it. Turning onto my street, an expression of hope started to appear in Phil's features, which quickly turned to one of disbelief as we came to a stop outside my new house.

"You live on Whisker Drive?" He typed.

"Yeah, moved here over the weekend, why?"

He pointed out a similar building directly across the road. "See the one with the green door?" He asked, "That's my house."

I grinned at him wholeheartedly and typed "We should hang out sometime."

He nodded and replied with "Meet me here tomorrow morning at eight. We can walk together…if you want?"

"Yeah, course. I'll be here. See you tomorrow, Phil."

He waved and I watched as he made his way towards his own home, a spring in his step that caused me to smile.

'_I've done a lot of smiling today_,' I thought, as I entered my own home.

A head appeared out of the doorway to the kitchen and grinned at me as I placed my bag by the door.

"Hey, how was school?" My mum asked. She was still smiling, but I noticed the concern in her eyes.

"It was great," I replied to reassure her, "Better than great, actually. The teachers are nice and I made some friends."

"Aw that's brilliant. Look, I know you hate this kind of thing, but I met some of our new neighbours on my way back from the shops and they invited us round for dinner. You don't mind, do you?"

I pulled a face at her.

"It'll be fun!" She insisted, "They have a child who's your age."

"Fine," I sighed. It wouldn't hurt to make some more friends, though none of them would interest me as much as Phil.

"Thanks honey. Be ready for half five."

When half five rolled around, I was dressed in black skinny jeans and a nebula t-shirt, not really caring about my appearance. I slipped on a pair of black converse before following my mum out of the door. We crossed the street, a knot twisting in my stomach. I was never good at this – meeting new people. I never knew what to say and I despised awkward silences.

I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings as we made our way through a gate and down a short pathway, instead choosing to admire a speck of dirt on my shoe. I heard my mum knock on the door before it opened, and looked up to see that it had revealed a small, middle aged woman sporting a blonde bob and a welcoming grin.

"Kathy!" She greeted.

"Hi Helen!" My mum replied, "This is my son, Daniel."

She held out her hand and I looked her in the eye as I shook it – familiar eyes.

"Come in! Dinner's almost ready. Phil will down in a second."

_Phil?_ I glanced at the door that I had ignored earlier.

It was green.


	4. Chapter 4

**Silence - Chapter 4 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognise...nor am I claiming Dan and Phil to be in a real life relationship. **

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who read/reviewed the last chapter. Here's chapter four - enjoy :3 **

I couldn't help the grin that spread across face as we followed Helen down the hall and into the dining room. The house was nicely decorated, but in a homely way. The furniture matched, but had clearly been there a long time.

"What are you smiling at?" My mother whispered in my ear.

"Nothing in particular."

We sat at a polished, wooden table and I admired the paintings on the walls as I awaited a certain boy to appear.

"What would you like to drink?" Helen asked.

"Just water for me thanks, Dan?" My mum turned to me.

"Same, please."

She smiled at us before glancing up at the ceiling.

"Is he still not down yet?" She asked herself. Stepping into the hallway, Helen flipped a switch and all the lights began to flicker violently.

"Sorry about that. My son's deaf mute," She informed us, coming back into the room.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." My mum frowned.

"Oh don't be. He's such a positive young man, although he's quite introverted. He came home today, however, telling me that he'd met someone new at school. He hasn't stopped smiling from the moment he stepped through the door."

She was obviously proud of her son, judging by the way she spoke about him. I felt my heart beat a little faster at the thought of Phil's smile – a smile due to me.

His mum entered the kitchen to make our drinks, and I barely had to wait a second before the boy in question appeared in the doorway. He was dressed in black skinny jeans and a green checked button up shirt that folded at his elbows. He smiled politely at my mother before his cerulean eyes landed on me.

His entire face lit up. Mouthing my name, he came further into the room. I gave into the strong urge to be physically near the boy and stood to step around the table and hug him tightly. He didn't seem to mind. My mum stared at us strangely before asking "Do you two know each other?"

I beamed at her as I sat down again and replied "I told you I made some new friends today."

Helen entered the room with our drinks and placed them on the table before turning to Phil. He signed something fluently with his hands, and I soon realised that a whiteboard and pen wasn't the only form of communication for the boy. His mum turned towards me and hurried over to shake my hand.

"I'm so sorry, I never realised you were Phil's new friend. It's lovely to meet you, Dan."

Dinner passed quickly as our mothers conversed over Helen's delicious chicken pie. Phil and I spent most of the meal grinning at each other, occasionally placing down our cutlery to write something on the whiteboard. We both declined dessert, and Phil signed something to his mum before gesturing for me to follow him. We advanced up the stairs, coming to a stop outside a wooden door at the end of the hallway. Phil hesitated before opening it, and kept a close eye on me as we entered a large room, as if wanting to see my reaction.

I can confidently say that the room we entered was an accurate representation of the boy that was Philip Lester. The bottom half of the wallpaper was blue, while the top half was a bright green. Whilst a double bed – underneath a green duvet – was against the right hand side, a wardrobe stood in the corner. Standing before a large window on the north wall was a wooden desk. A huge whiteboard took up the left wall, which consisted of doodles and notes. Looking up, the entire ceiling was covered in artwork and posters – many of which were of Sarah Michelle Geller. Plush lion teddies were dotted about, which I found adorable. Phil noticed me staring and went over to the whiteboard to write 'I like lions' in black ink. I noticed a TV in another corner of the room, alongside a Wii U and stack of games and DVDs.

Making my way over to the whiteboard, I took the pen from Phil and wrote 'Mario Kart?' in my scruffy handwriting. He nodded and pulled out the case from the stack, before putting the disc in the console and sitting crossed legged on his bed. He held out a controller and I took it, a grin evident on my face.

We played for –what seemed like – hours, before we grew bored and ended up lying on Phil's bed in a comfortable silence. I turned my head towards the window, and noticed that you could see directly into my own bedroom across the road. Phil stood from his bed and wrote on the giant whiteboard.

'Is that your bedroom?'

I nodded and took the pen from him to write 'Yeah. We should learn Morse Code or something'.

He chuckled and answered with 'Maybe we should pull a Taylor Swift and hold up signs'

Before I could reply, the lights began to flicker and a distant voice shouted for me to go downstairs. Phil threw me a sad smile and wrote 'Bye Dan' on the board. Waving and making my way towards the door, I stopped and pointed at both him and the window, hoping he would understand. Luckily, he gave me a thumbs-up and a smile that took my breath away.

Twenty minutes later I was back in my own room, hurrying over to the window and grinning at the sight before me. Phil was stood at his own window with a sign in his hands.

_'Tomorrow at eight. I'll be there.' _


	5. Chapter 5

**Silence - Chapter 5 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognise, nor am I claiming Dan and Phil (or Chris and PJ) to be in a real life relationship. **

**A/N: I'm apologising for the long wait by posting an extra long chapter. Please read and review, and I hope you enjoy. I know Dan's 'secret' is fairly obvious, but there's more to it than that, I promise :3 **

I groaned as the obnoxious noise of my alarm rang in my ears and dragged me from my dreams of cerulean eyes. Rolling over, I dismissed it and let my head collapse back onto the pillow. The sun was beginning to rise, shining through the crack in the curtains and lighting up my room. Sudden memories of the night before hit me, and I checked the time to see I had half an hour before Phil would be outside my garden gate.

I showered and dressed in record speed, though my school tie was messy and odd socks hugged my feet. Grabbing a piece of toast and my bag on the way out, I opened the door to find Phil sitting on my fence with his eyes closed, enjoying the sunshine. I went over and poked his shoulder, causing him to jump with a squeak and fall off the fence. Luckily, he fell into my arms rather than on the floor. I held him close for a second more than what was necessary, breathing in his raspberry scent, before letting him stand up with an awkward smile. He pulled out his phone and started a new draft.

'Morning' He showed me.

I waved back and we began the walk to school.

* * *

><p>"We could have a large pause after that line to add emphasis, you know." Louise suggested as I sat in my drama class later that morning. We all nodded in agreement and wrote the idea down.<p>

"Can we take a break now?" Chris begged, "We've been working on this play all lesson."

Putting down their pens and paper, the group turned to me.

"Do you like it here then?" Louise asked with a smile. I liked Louise. She was attentive and considerate, always listening to other's ideas. She was also friendly without being flirty, unlike Kelly, who had chosen to sit uncomfortably close to me.

"Yeah. I'm still learning where all my classes are, though. This school is far bigger than my last one."

"I can show you round, if you like." Kelly spoke up.

"Oh, that's okay. I've got Phil, he's been helping me out," I replied, thankful that I had an excuse.

"Phil? As in Phil Lester? Are you serious?" She demanded, her eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong with Phil?"

"Nobody likes him. He sits alone by himself like a complete loner and never talks to anyone."

"He _can't _talk to anyone. He's mute."

"That's what he says. He'll do anything for attention."

"But you just said he sits alone by himself-"

"I'm going to the bathroom," Kelly announced, interrupting my reply. She strode out of the auditorium with a sway in her hips.

"Ignore Kelly," Chris said after a moment, "Phil's pretty awesome."

"You're friends with him?" I asked.

"Not really, but I sit next to him in Art. He's a really nice guy. I'd ask him to hang out with me and PJ but he seems to prefer the company of his books."

"He's been bullied quite a bit over the years, but I guess no one's had the courage to stand up for him, myself included," Louise added, "Right now, I think Kelly's just jealous."

"Jealous of what?"

They both glanced at each other with a knowing smile before Chris answered me.

"The fact that _Phil Lester_ grabbed your attention and she couldn't. Kelly and her friends believe in a social hierarchy at this school. According to her, Phil is at the bottom, meaning he shouldn't be friends with someone she believes to be at her status - i.e. you."

"That's ridiculous. What makes me at her status?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Have you looked in a mirror recently, Dan?" Louise giggled. My eyes widened as I realised what she meant. I couldn't stop the words running from my mouth.

"But Phil's beautiful! And even if he wasn't, I can't believe someone would be that shallow."

I ignored the smirks they threw at each other, choosing to admire my pen instead.

"That's just how they are." Chris stated, "Don't worry, not everyone is like that."

Kelly entered the room again before I could answer, and Phil's name wasn't mentioned for the rest of the lesson.

* * *

><p>When the bell rang for lunch, everyone picked up their bags and left the room in a rush, desperate to be first in the canteen queue. Making my own way to the door, I felt a hand grab my wrist before pulling me backwards. My shock faded the second I saw Chris's embarrassed face.<p>

"Sorry, I wanted to catch you before you went for lunch." He told me.

"That's alright. What's up?"

"I know that I only met you yesterday, but you seem really nice and stuff and so I wondered if you wanted to hang out with PJ and I sometime this weekend…with Phil too, obviously."

I didn't really need to think about it. Chris seemed nothing like the crappy friends I'd had in the past.

"Yeah of course, I'd love to. I'll ask Phil at lunch."

"Awesome," He chirped.

We exchanged numbers and went our separate ways. Stepping out of the auditorium, I immediately noticed Phil leaning against the opposite wall, just like the day before. We grinned at each other before making our way to the canteen.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later found us leaning against the oak tree in Phil's secret garden. We sat in comfortable silence, allowing the gentle breeze to calm us after a hectic morning. Phil's eyes were focused on the sky, watching the clouds, whilst mine couldn't look away from his profile for more than five seconds. I'd never believed in the idea of perfection, and yet here it was, sat beside me.<p>

During my admiration, I failed to notice Phil's hand grab the whiteboard. I was only dragged back from my thoughts when it was dropped onto my lap, revealing Phil's thoughts.

'Why are you staring at me?' It read.

'No reason', I wrote back.

His expression told that he didn't believe me, but he didn't push it.

'Can I ask you something?' I wrote, remembering my earlier conversation with Chris.

He nodded, and I continued.

'I'm in a group with Chris Kendall in drama, and he invited us to hang out with him and boyfriend PJ this weekend. Do you want to?'

He appeared to be shocked when he read the board, and brusquely took it off me to ask 'Are you sure he specifically wanted me to join you?'

"Yeah, he really likes you."

Phil stared ahead for a few moments, seemingly contemplating several things. He soon turned to me and nodded, writing the words 'Yeah, okay' on the board.

* * *

><p>On the walk home that night, the subject of our parents came up in conversation.<p>

"I live with both of my parents, though my dad works a lot so I hardly see him," Phil told me via text draft, "What about you?"

"My mum and dad split up when I was younger. My brother wanted to live with Dad whilst I preferred to stay with Mum…so that's what happened. I see them from time to time, though my dad and I don't get on."

"How come?" Phil asked.

"He…uh…doesn't agree with the person I've turned out to be," I explained briefly. I wasn't ready to tell anyone my secret yet – not even Phil. The last time I told someone I'd had to move across the country.

We soon arrived at my gate and so I turned around to say goodbye, but was surprised when Phil's slim arms wrapped themselves around my neck in a tight embrace. It took me only half a second to respond, snaking my own arms around his waist and breathing in the raspberry scent. We parted reluctantly after a moment and I felt my heart ache. Phil pointed at my gate before holding up eight fingers. Laughing, I nodded, and he grinned and waved whilst walking towards his own house.

I spent the evening procrastinating from my homework, browsing the internet as a way to pass time. Somehow I ended up on my Facebook page, and was scrolling down my wall, reading the statuses from my former classmates and laughing at the funny pictures. I saw a post from my ex-girlfriend – Daisy Walker- and clicked on her profile. Multiple images of a drunken Daisy appeared on the screen. There were photos of her partying with the twats who made me miserable; photos of her sat on the lap of numerous strangers; and if I scrolled far enough, photos of the two of us sat in the park or eating out. Slamming the laptop shut, I lay on my bed and closed my eyes, trying to keep away the repressed memories of my time in Reading.

'That's all in the past," I told myself, "You're in Manchester now, and they are all miles and miles away. You're making new friends. You have Chris, and maybe PJ. You have _Phil_. You're starting to become okay again."

At that point I smiled, because I knew everything was going to be alright. Opening the laptop, I began my search for local sign language classes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Silence - Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dan, Phil or anyone you recognise...nor am I claiming Dan and Phil (or Chris and PJ) to be in a real life relationship.**

**A/N: It's been ages and i'm sorry. I've just started college and I've been trying to balance a new work load with hours worth of travelling per week. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter :3 **

Starbucks was surprisingly empty for a Saturday lunch time when Phil and I entered through the glass doors. It was difficult _not _to stop Chris, waving vigorously from his seat in the corner. Beside him sat a friendly-looking boy with curly hair and a wide smile who I assumed to be PJ. His smile only grew as we sat opposite them and he held out his hand for me to shake.

"Hi, I'm PJ. You must be Dan," He greeted, before turning to wave at Phil.

Conversation came easily between the four of us, despite needing to write a lot of things down for Phil. We spent the majority of the afternoon sat in our booth, drinking caramel macchiatos and laughing at Chris's frequent jokes and innuendos. When I made my way to the counter for the third time, PJ followed and we chatted as we waited for our drinks.

"I'm so glad you moved here," PJ told me, "I've never seen Phil so happy, and that guy was the definition of positive in the first place."

"Well, I'm glad I moved here too. Hey, can I tell you a secret?" I felt like I could trust PJ, despite only knowing him for an afternoon.

"Sure, go for it."

"I've starting going to sign language classes so I can talk to Phil without the whiteboard. But don't tell him, I want it to be a surprise," I stated.

I watched as PJ's face turned from an expression of surprise to one of utter delight.

"Dan. That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for anyone."

"I doubt that," I replied.

"Well…yeah okay. Probably not; but it's still incredibly sweet. How long have you been learning?"

"I went to an hour-long class on Thursday night. But then I've bought a load of BSL textbooks-"

"BSL?" PJ queried.

"British Sign Language," I explained, "Anyway, I've bought loads of textbooks for that, so I've spent most of the week studying them."

"Haven't you got a whole bunch of coursework and stuff to catch up on before the GCSE's? How are you going to find the time?" He asked.

"I'll be fine. It's not even December yet. Anyway, I really like Phil, and if giving up some of my _Skyrim _hours and getting a little stressed is what it takes to be close to him, then that's what I'll do."

"Do for what?" Chris asked, appearing on my other side and scaring the life out of me.

"Dan's learning sign language for Phil," PJ told him, before noticing the glare I shot him and clamping a hand over his mouth, "Shit, sorry."

"You're taking up sign language for him? Wow, Peej, which one of us do you think they'll pick to be best man?"

Our drinks were placed in front of us at that second, giving me no time to reply to Chris' joke. We made our way back to the table and carried on our earlier conversation.

~x~

Phil and I made our way home in the dark that night, teeth chattering and breath visible in the November air. Our fingers brushed as we turned onto Whisker Drive, and as cliché as it sounds, I swear I felt electricity run down my palm. We stopped outside my gate like usual, though instead of waving goodbye, Phil pulled out his phone and began typing.

'Do you want to stay at mine tonight?' It read. He appeared to be nervous, though there was no doubt it my mind of my answer.

I took the phone from him and typed 'Sure, I'll go get some stuff and be at yours in ten'. He grinned and nodded, heading in the direction of his own house.

"Mum, I'm staying at Phil's tonight. Is that okay?" I asked as I entered the lounge.

"That's fine with me," She replied, "Tell Helen I said hello, yeah?"

"Sure."

I packed my bag in a rush and ran across the road, desperate to escape the cold. Pressing the doorbell beside the green door, I watched as the lights flickered thorough the glazed window. Phil opened the door a second later, ushering me in and motioning for me to take off my shoes.

I followed him up the stairs and down the hall to his room, the floorboards creaking under our weight. Flopping myself down on his bed, I watched as Phil picked up the nearest pen and wrote 'What do you want to do?' on the giant board on his wall. I pointed at his large stack of films with my eyebrows raised, knowing he'd understand. He nodded with a smile, and I made my way over to pick.

His collection consisted of some of my favourite films, and some I'd never seen. Titles such as _My Neighbour Totoro_, _Kill Bill _and _Avengers _stuck out, along with the _Lord of the Rings _trilogy and a box set of_ Death Note. _Feeling the need to compliment his good taste, I turned to him and pointed at the stack before sticking my thumbs up, making him laugh.

I picked out _Scott Pilgrim vs the World _and placed it in Phil's outstretched hand, making myself comfortable on his bed as he inserted the disc into the DVD player. Picking up the remote, he came and joined me, turning on the subtitles before pressing play.

We sat with our backs against the headboard and our eyes on the screen. I noticed his hand lying in between us and felt an urge to take it in my own. As the movie progressed, it became increasingly difficult to focus on the TV and not on Phil's face. I couldn't even tell you what the film was about – something about some guy named Scott and his girlfriend's 'seven evil exes'…anyway, Phil was just so attractive. _No_, attractive isn't the right word. Hauntingly beautiful – yeah, that'll do.

At one point, he laughed and caught my eye, realising that I was staring at him and pausing the film. He picked up a small whiteboard on his bedside table.

'What's up?' He wrote.

"Nothing," I replied vocally, not thinking before I spoke. He understood however, and gazed at me for a moment before pressing play. He didn't appear as interested anymore, however, glancing at me out of the corner of his eyes every few minutes.

When the film finished, we lay about and talked about nothing and everything at the same time. He told me about his childhood whilst I avoided talking about mine. We discussed meaningful topics, like the point in the universe, and those not so meaningful, like our favourite episodes of _Adventure Time_.

'I've always wanted to make Youtube videos,' Phil scrawled lazily due to his increasingly tired state.

'Me too, actually. Why don't you?'

'Are you kidding? It's not like I can just chat to them or anything.'

'You chat to me all the time. Just write on your board instead, or on pieces of card or something. You shouldn't let _it _get in the way of the things you want to achieve, Phil.'

He grinned at me and took the time to write a neat 'Thank you' on the board.

When we next checked the time, it was past two in the morning, and Phil's yawns were becoming frequent.

'Where am I sleeping?' I asked.

Phil cheeks became faintly red before he answered.

'I figured that my bed is big enough for us both,' He scribbled, 'Is that okay?'

I smiled in reassurance.

~x~

I slept soundly that night. Phil's bed was inviting and warm, especially with his presence barely inches from mine. When I awoke late the next morning, he was even closer – his head on my chest and my arms around his waist. I could feel him breathing steadily, still succumbed in a deep slumber.

Sunday morning sun streamed through the gap in the curtains and lit up the room. It looked entirely different in this new light. His alarm clock read 10:26am on the bedside table, but I stayed put, not wanting to disturb the boy on top of me. He was just as beautiful like this – his ebony mop ruffled and his lips parted. Surprisingly, it didn't bother me that Phil was in such close proximity, it felt right.

It was at this moment of my brooding that his eyes flickered open and bright blue met chocolate. He smiled lazily until he noticed our positions, and moved immediately, his face turning the shade of a tomato. I couldn't help but laugh at his flustered state. He leant over to the bedside table for a moment, and turned to reveal a sheepish smile and a held up whiteboard.

'So, breakfast?'


End file.
